hiatus

noun hi·a·tus \ hī-ˈā-təs \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of hiatus

1 a : a break in or as if in a material object : gap

the weedy hiatus between the town and the railroad
—Willa Cather

the hiatus between the theory and the practice of the party
—J. G. Colton

b biology : a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ

2 a : an interruption in time or continuity : break; especially : a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted

after a 5-year hiatus from writing

a summer hiatus

b : the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound

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Examples of hiatus in a Sentence

The band is making an album again after a five-year hiatus.
steam was rising from an hiatus in the ground

Recent Examples of hiatus from the Web

Lake Central: Coach Ron Fredrick returns after a one-year hiatus, looking to resume the 25-year sectional streak that ended in his absence.

— dave melton, Post-Tribune, "Taking a look at the top 5 teams and top 15 individuals in the Region for girls track," 7 Apr. 2018
When Suits went on hiatus, Trevor reportedly took Meghan on a cycling vacation to Vietnam, but the distance between them had become too vast and apparently, their chemistry was all out of whack.

— noelle devoe, Seventeen, "Meghan Markle Reportedly Dumped Her Ex Husband in the Most Savage Way," 2 Apr. 2018
After taking a brief hiatus from performing, West made a surprise appearance at Adidas’ NBA All-Star Weekend event Feb. 17 in Los Angeles.

— dave brooks, Billboard, "Kanye West Splits With Longtime Manager Izzy Zivkovic: Exclusive," 28 Mar. 2018
Developer Nightdive Studios officially put the project on hiatus last month, citing a loss of focus and a too-ambitious project scope.

— kyle orland, Ars Technica, "System Shock reboot pushed back to 2020," 26 Mar. 2018
This is the second leg of the tour for Harry, having taken a brief hiatus after his last show in Tokyo in early December.

— avery matera, Teen Vogue, "Harry Styles Wears Custom Calvin Klein on Tour," 20 Mar. 2018
No new applications were accepted last year, so the fellowship will go on hiatus for a year.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Hillary Clinton's name dropped from Fulbright fellowship," 20 Mar. 2018
Nine-Nine: After a brief hiatus, season five of this hilarious comedy about a group of detectives in New York's fictional 99th Precinct returns tonight.

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "These 11 New TV, Music, and Movie Releases Will Start Your Spring Off Right," 18 Mar. 2018
The hope, of course, is that now that sort of fortitude won’t go on hiatus again for a season and a half.

— mark zeigler, sandiegouniontribune.com, "3 thoughts: Houston 67, SDSU 65 ... the West's decline, mental toughness & stopping Gray," 17 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hiatus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Hiatus comes from "hiare," a Latin verb meaning "to gape" or "to yawn," and first appeared in English in the middle of the 16th century. Originally, the word referred to a gap or opening in something, such as a cave opening in a cliff. In the 18th century, Laurence Sterne used the word humorously in his novel Tristram Shandy, writing of "the hiatus in Phutatorius's breeches." These days, "hiatus" is usually used in a temporal sense to refer to a pause or interruption (as in a song), or a period during which an activity is temporarily suspended (such as a hiatus from teaching).

Origin and Etymology of hiatus

Latin, from hiare to yawn — more at yawn

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1563

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hiatus Synonyms

HIATUS Defined for English Language Learners

hiatus

noun

Definition of hiatus for English Language Learners

: a period of time when something (such as an activity or program) is stopped

Medical Dictionary

hiatus

noun hi·a·tus \ hī-ˈāt-əs \

medical Definition of hiatus

: a gap or passage through an anatomical part or organ; especially : an opening through which another part or organ passes (such as the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus and vagus nerves pass)